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A Run of Show That's Best in Show

For many professionals, daily routines play a big role in their success in and out of the workplace. It’s no different with pets. From exercise to meal times to bathroom breaks, a regular routine keeps them happy and healthy when you’re not home.

illustration of a dog on a leash

Group Dog Walks

We’ve honed our own routine over the years to help you accomplish this. Our group dog walks feature the same reliable run of show for every pet under our care (aside from the occasional special circumstance). The following itinerary is consistent regardless of hour or day.

illustration of a man walking two dogs
icon puppy with a heart bubble

Pre-Walk Preparation

  • Before every session, we inspect our leashes, harnesses, pet-waste bags, water jug, and other equipment.
  • This also includes a kibble pouch, which is important for reinforcing good behavior and diffusing potential reactivity that may threaten the group.
  • We also make sure our transport van is sanitary in between top-to-bottom cleanings each week.
icon dog and a person

Arrival at Your Home

  • You’ll use our online Time To Pet (TTP) portal to book the day and time of your service at the beginning of the week (though we do try to accommodate last-minute requests as much as possible). 
  • We arrive within a 3-hour window based on that day’s schedule.
  • Once we’ve entered according to your instructions, we’ll gather your dog and gear and head to the van. 
  • We always stay quiet and remove our shoes out of respect for your home. We also leave a towel by the door in case we need to wipe off dirty paws later.
icon two dogs being walked

Group Walk Location

  • If your furry friend isn’t the last pickup, we’ll drive to the remaining homes on our route. 
  • We then either park the van and begin our walk at the final home or drive to a neutral space. 
  • “Neutral” means a public location that’s near a park or open area with minimal foot and automobile traffic. This is ideal for your dog’s safety and our neighbors. 
  • We have great respect for our community, which includes making sure our groups don’t soil others’ lawns, dig up gardens, or otherwise treat people’s property as a playground.
icon person running with dog

The Walk

  • Dogs are predictable. We even know exactly what our long-term clients’ pets will do and when along our routes, which allows us to plan accordingly. 
  • Walks typically begin with a bathroom break. We know what signals indicate a need to evacuate versus just marking territory, so we make sure they do what they really need to do and then move quickly on to the exercise. 
  • We split time between grass and concrete. Fewer smells on pavement (and dangerous trash like chicken bones hidden in the grass) help keep snouts up and paws moving.
icon person hugging dog

Return Home

  • After a full 30 minutes of activity, we get back in the van and make our way home. 
  • We return in reverse order. So, with the first pickup being the last drop-off, we could have dog #1 for up to 75 minutes that day. 
  • Given the DC’s range of weather, we keep our van climate-controlled while we take each dog inside.
  • We then make sure the water bowl is full and follow any special post-walk instructions from the owner before leaving.
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Report Card

  • Our last step involves completing a report for each dog shortly after the walk. 
  • The automated email you receive from TTP will cover what the walk included. It also confirms that we performed all in-home duties and owner-specific requests. 
  • If there’s something we feel you should know about your dog—such as unusual behavior or other noteworthy observations—we’ll include this as well.

Our Values Define Our Visits

Premier service requires not only organization and reliability, but also a commitment to values that elevate it beyond reproach. That’s why we go to great lengths to create an experience worthy of your highest expectations.

As the Upper Northwest’s leading dog-walking practice, we believe:

icon puppy on a heart leash

Safety goes above all

Before joining Fido Group, dogs must be up to date on their vaccinations. We also conduct a thorough discovery and onboarding process to ensure group safety. If we encounter a potentially dangerous situation on our walks—whether within or outside of the group—we take appropriate, humane action to protect the welfare of all.
icon dog and person

Dogs deserve our full attention

You’ll never see our walkers on their phones, listening to music, or doing anything other than focusing on your dog. Proper safety and performance require all five senses, so we maintain situational awareness at all times. Otherwise, we may miss critical signals from the dogs or overlook events (and threats) unfolding around us that impact our route.
icon dog being washed

Hygiene must be prioritized

This is true throughout our interaction with your pet, but particularly in transit. Our specially-outfitted van containing features such as commercial-grade dog beds is completely hosed out each week. We also use bleach treatments and disinfectants to minimize transmission of disease (even with our vaccination requirement).
icon dog in a harness

The right tools do the job the right way

From standardized six-foot leashes to front-attachment harnesses, we use the top products on the market. That doesn’t always include the pet market, either. For instance, we’ve repurposed bags from the mountain-climbing community for our kibble pouches because of their higher quality and utility. We rely on the best so you can rely on us.
icon person running with dog

A 30-minute walk is a 30-minute walk

Sounds obvious, but it’s not always the case. Some services advertising half-hour walks end up only providing 20 minutes of outdoor time, with the rest covering pickup and drop-off duties. Not ours. Your dog is on the leash for the full 30, so actual sessions may last anywhere from 45 to 75 minutes based on pickup order.

Group Dog Walk FAQs

The majority of questions we receive from dog owners concern our group walks. Below are the most common. Feel free to visit our full FAQs page for more detailed answers to these and other questions about our business.